BAKE | ESPRESSO GLAZED DONUTS

Ever since I got donut pans for Christmas I've been dreaming about all the different kinds of donuts I could now bake! I made these espresso donuts per request of my sister who loves coffee. Our icing turned out a little thinner because we didn't have any espresso powder and added coffee instead. They still tasted amazing but the icing never hardened so next time we will definitely make sure we have espresso powder!

 Messy piping...

 I spy Oswald the Lucky Rabbit!

Adapted from Shutterbean
makes 12

Ingredients:
DOUGHNUTS

• 2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 TBS espresso powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 and 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

ICING

• 2 tsp espresso powder
• 2 TBShot water
• 6 oz. cream cheese, melted
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 4 TBS milk
• sprinkles 

1. Heat oven to 325 F. Coat doughnut pan with non-stick cooking spray. 
2. In large bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, espresso powder and salt. 
3. In small bowl, whisk buttermilk, sugar, egg, oil and vanilla until smooth. Add milk mixture to flour mixture; whisk until blended & well incorporated.
4. Spoon batter into a quart size ziploc bag. Cut of the corner and squeeze batter into prepared doughnut pan about 2/3 full. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until doughnuts spring back. Cool in pan on rack for 3 minutes, then carefully turn out directly onto rack to cool.
5. For icing, in a small bowl, combine espresso powder with hot water and stir until dissolved. Add melted cream cheese and stir until well incorporated. Slowly combine confectioner’s sugar, adding vanilla & milk to thin out glaze. If the consistency is too thin, add more sugar. If too thick add a bit more milk.
6. Dip cooled doughnuts into bowl of glaze and place on wire racks over parchment paper lined baking sheet. Top with sprinkles and serve. Doughnuts will keep in an air tight container for 2-3 days.

xoxo, allison

BAKE | MAPLE BACON DONUTS

It has taken me a while to settle into the new year. But what better way to start than with bacon and donuts? Are you thinking bacon topped donuts? Yes? I like how you think. I've been putting doughnut pans on my Christmas wish list for three years now and this year I received FOUR of them! SO EXCITED! I knew the perfect way to start my doughnut baking was with these maple bacon donuts. If you couldn't tell, I. love. bacon. Joyce even got me a bacon calendar for Christmas :)
Anyways, while everyone else is starting their new year with healthy food and diets, I've decided to start mine with donuts. I had a smoothie with kale in it for breakfast and started 30 day Shred yesterday so that counts for something right?

 Healthy smoothies for breakfast means I can eat maple bacon donuts for lunch.

 Look at that browned butter goodness...

 Batter in bag totally makes this not messy. Make sure you seal that bag tight!

 Cinnamon browned butter filled pans ready for the oven!

 Ugh! I wish you could smell theseee

 Yay! They didn't get stuck. (loving my new Bobby Flay oven mitts from Trace!)

 Dunk them! My favorite part!

 12-1=11 just couldn't wait for the bacon

Bacon overloaddd! Are you drooling yet?

makes 12-16 donuts
recipe adapted from Shutterbean

Ingredients:
DONUTS

• 2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 4 TBS unsalted butter
• 2 large egg
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

MAPLE BACON GLAZE

• 2 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 5 TBS maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2-4 TBS whole milk
• 10 strips bacon, cooked & crumbled

1. Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly grease donut pans and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and sugar.  Set aside.
3. In a small saucepan melt butter over medium-low heat.  Butter will begin to crackle and pop as it melts. When the butter starts to smell nutty, remove from heat immediately and set aside to cool.
4. In a small bowl whisk together egg, buttermilk, and vanilla extract.  Add browned butter and whisk into the wet ingredients.
5. Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients.  Stir together until no flour bits remain and all of the ingredients are well combined being sure not to overmix batter.
6. Transfer batter into a plastic sandwich bag (quart-size works best). Snip the tip with a pair of scissors and pipe batter into each doughnut mold about 1/2 to 3/4 full with batter.
7. Place in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. They are ready to take out of the oven when you touch it with your finger and it springs back.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
8. While the donuts cool, make the glaze: in a medium bowl, mix the confectioner’s sugar with maple syrup and vanilla extract until sugar starts dissolving. Slowly add milk to thin out the glaze. You might only need 2 tablespoons so mix as you go. Add more if necessary.
9. Dunk the donuts halfway into the glaze and then into the bacon bits. Place them on a wire rack with parchment paper underneath to catch the glaze if it drips. If your glaze starts to harden, place in the microwave for 20 seconds and stir before dunking. Donuts are best served the day they’re made. Store in an air-tight container and refrigerate if you have any left after day one.

I heart bacon & maple bacon donuts. 

xoxo, allison

p.s. thanks for being my food model Rachel!